The American Spectator

br> — Carl Gordon Pyper br> Monett, Missouri /p>

I worked for many years in a NICU and have stories that show how the knowledge you are carrying a child who is deformed, who may have a heart defect that cuts the babies life short, or other anomalies that can stun a parents who are learning of the fact their baby is not normal.

I have seen many, many parents who, even with the knowledge their baby is not normal, may not live or have a defect that will be hard to live with go on to have their baby.

When one is being born we know will not live, the parents are given all the support we can give them. When the baby comes, the parents are given a room so they may spend time with the child until it dies. They hold the baby and let it know it is loved, and was wanted. We have special name cards, beautiful gowns and blankets for the baby, beautiful boxes to keep the tiny piece of hair, the cards and any other keepsake for the parents to have. We have cameras ready and pictures are taken and given to the parents. Sometimes, grandparents are there to support and say good-bye, the siblings, if old enough can see the baby and say good-bye as well. The parents leave the hospital, grieving, but knowing they gave the baby their love in this difficult way. This is courage, love and real parenthood.

I have seen babies with anomalies that were very disfiguring, but had parents who held them, as long as they could, crying for their child and themselves. It is not easy, this way of showing love, but the parents are always glad they chose to be there for the baby.

So, it is a matter of choice, the parent must make the choice, but they need to know they have the option of delivering the baby and being with it until the baby dies. I think it is important for them to know how parents who have done this feel. Many have said, they know they gave their child all they could and it was important to say good-bye.

Always a heartbreaking decision, but the choice always lies in the parents’ hands. It is a tough one.

p>Very tough. br> — Carole Graham /p> p> Regarding George Neumayr’s article “Smealing Hughes,” those who oppose legalized abortion must begin to use language as precise and graphic as warranted by the horrors of abortion. One of the biggest mistakes we make is to permit abortionists to use polite parlor language to mask their heinous activities. So, in my opinion, if Karen Hughes didn’t say what the abortionists claim she did, she should have.…